"I'm still alive, as you may surmise from this note. Of course, I could be dead and someone is faking the letter to fool you…" Harry is NOT happy about being left at Privet Drive all summer with no one to talk to.

The
summer holidays had begun three days ago, and several key members of
the Order of the Phoenix were about to sit down to dinner.

However,
there was a definite anticipatory atmosphere in the house, which was
making people snappish.

As
such, the five students staying in the house for the holidays were
hiding in an upstairs room for as long as possible, along with the
twins.

Bill
and Charlie were downstairs in the lounge, playing a violent game of
chess. Tonks and Kingsley were watching from a safe distance so as
not to be hit with flying shrapnel.

Molly
was in the kitchen, along with Minerva. No one else was brave enough
to even step too close to the doorway when the both of them were in
there.

Arthur
and Moody were attempting to set up the dining room for imminent use,
as there were too many people to fit in the kitchen.

Albus
was sitting in the lounge, across the room from Charlie and Bill's
small-scale massacre, trying to read a book. He was having rather a
lot of trouble with this, as the text kept changing from
'Transfiguration Through the Ages' to '172
Alternatives to Sherbet Lemons and Tea' and back again.

By
the fire, Severus and Remus were sitting in armchairs and apparently
having a serious card game in between hexing Albus's book and Remus
glancing at the windows.

It
was assumed that the two men were playing poker, as they were using
Muggle cards and seemed incredibly focussed on winning. It wasn't
until Remus's rather triumphant hiss of 'Go fish' that anyone
realised what they were really playing and the collective respect the
others had for them went down a tad.

Finally,
Arthur poked his head through the door and told them the dining room
was ready. Everyone abandoned their activities and headed in to sit
down. Charlie went upstairs to find the kids and returned with them
not long after, looking a little scarred.

Molly
and Minerva brought out the meal, and everyone began to eat.

Ten
minutes later, all food was abandoned as Hedwig flew through the
window, all eyes glued to her.

She
circled the room for a moment, searching, and then landed on
Charlie's shoulder.

He
turned and looked at her. "You want me to open it?"

Pointedly
she stuck out her leg. Charlie shrugged, took the note and unfolded
it. He snorted.

"Read
it aloud," Bill prompted.

Charlie's
lips twitched. "All right.

'Dear
Order,

Am
still alive, as you may surmise from this note.

Of
course, I could be dead and someone is faking the letter to fool you.
Quick, you'd better come and check. Charlie, send many dragons.

He
noticed he was receiving some sceptical looks. "I'm not kidding,
you can read it yourselves."

The
note was passed around the table, everyone finding some amusement
from it – even Albus.

Charlie
went back to his dinner, as did everyone else, one and all wondering
what Harry would write in three days time.

Once
upon a time, a silly author had a silly idea. That idea is the letter
in chapter three. It amused her. Now that silly author has committed
herself…to a twenty-one chapter fanfiction. Sigh. Silly, silly
author. As if she doesn't have enough unfinished fics on her plate…

Ah
well. I've been going okay with this one, the first four are done
and five is in the works. Plus they're all pretty much stand-alone
chapters, so no evil cliffies.

So
yes, I hope you enjoyed, please review and tell me your opinions.
Love to you all!

S.
Wolf

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.